The European Commission has decided not to raise
objections to plans to extend a scheme piloted by Austria's federal government
and aimed at promoting a modal shift to inland waterways. Under the pilot
scheme, new inland navigation services on the Danube are eligible for an
environmental premium.

The aim of this measure is to stimulate a modal shift from the country's
roads to the Danube by encouraging innovative solutions.

The Austrian pilot scheme will run from 2008 to 2014 and have a budget of
€1 million a year. It will be targeted at new, high-quality
intermodal services for international navigation on the Danube. Aid will be
granted in the form of an environmental premium of between €18 and
€34 per container transported, depending on the size of the loading unit.
The premium will be granted upon presentation of a business plan showing that
the intermodal inland navigation service in question will be of a high quality
and regularly accessible.

The scheme is compatible with Article 3(1)(b) of Council Regulation
(EEC) No 1107/70 concerning aid which meets the needs of coordination of
transport. Aid is limited to 30% of the total cost of the service. Additionally,
aid of up to 50% of total costs may be granted for preparatory studies and
analyses relating to intermodal services covered by the scheme.